Principal Category Lead

Chick-fil-A Plainfield, Indiana; Atlanta (GA); On-site; USD 140,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Chick-fil-A is seeking a Principal Category Leader to provide strategic leadership and enterprise influence on new menu offerings, menu simplification, and equipment projects from initiation through launch.

This role requires exceptional communication, the ability to influence across operators and leaders, and strong cross-functional collaboration while maintaining warmth and accountability. Travel about 35% and a proactive mindset are essential.

Qualifications

• Proven success influencing at multiple levels across an organization.
• Exceptional interpersonal and communication skills with cross-functional partners.
• Comfort presenting recommendations to executive levels and answering questions.
• Analytical depth in project management, processes, systems and equipment interface.
• Experience with product development processes and brand strategy.

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic leadership for new menu offerings, menu simplification, and equipment projects from initation through launch.
• Influence operators and leaders with enterprise-wide recommendations and data-driven insights.
• Lead cross-functional collaboration among Menu Strategy, Culinary Developers, Commercialization, Packaging, Marketing, Facilities & Equipment, Brand Strategy.
• Develop annual business plans including scope, human capital, and budget needs for projects.
• Identify cost savings and implement continuous improvement initiatives.
• Maintain relationships with operators, support centers, vendors, and partners.
• Communicate clearly, hold partners accountable to timelines, and navigate tense conversations with warmth.

Skills

Influence at multiple levels

Interpersonal communication

Executive presenting

Stakeholder management

Project management

Product development

Data-driven decision making

Education

Bachelor's degree or equivalent

Master's degree (preferred)

Tools

Microsoft Office

Job description

How We Work At Chick-fil-A

Chick-fil-A, Inc. ('Chick-fil-A' or 'the Company') Staff members play a vital role in achieving our strategic goals by developing their skills, fostering inclusive teamwork, and embracing innovation. All Staff are expected to contribute to a compelling future by inspiring and motivating those around them. Growth and development are essential at Chick-fil-A. We want Staff to seek new perspectives and adopt new methods to drive continuous improvement and adaptation to evolving business needs. Lastly, we ask Staff to seek wisdom, expect the best, accept responsibility, respond with courage, and think others first.

Our Flexible Futures Model offers a healthy mix of working in person (currently a minimum of 8-10 days per month) and virtually, strengthening key elements of the Chick-fil-A culture by fostering collaboration and community.

Overview

Chick-fil-A is seeking a Principal Category Leader dedicated to provide strategic leadership & enterprise influence to new menu offerings, menu simplification, and equipment projects from initialization through launch. This individual must be an exceptional communicator with strong executive presence, the ability to influence others, make decisions, and represent recommendations across all levels of the organization including Operators, leaders across the organization, and the Executive Committee.

Additionally, he or she must be able to lead multiple projects simultaneously with excellence, ensuring that milestones and deliverables are met. He or she will work closely with Menu Strategy, Culinary Developers, Commercialization Leads, Menu Services, Packaging, Marketing Engineering, Facilities & Equipment, Brand Strategy, and others across the organization, as well as with Operators and Team Members to achieve scope objectives. This person must be extremely agile, adaptable, and a problem solver. This leader must excel at listening to multiple perspectives and ideas and then provide a Customer centric, enterprise-minded, and comprehensive recommendation to leadership on how to move forward. They must hold partners and stakeholders accountable to decisions, dates and timelines. This individual must be comfortable confronting others and having tense conversations while maintaining authentic and trusted relationships – always showing up with warmth and competence. This individual requires a high-level of self-direction, grit, and a proactive mindset that can provide innovative solutions to drive business growth.

Responsibilities

Leadership Skill Sets and Capabilities:

• High enterprise influence and trust
• Navigates tense and challenging situations with authenticity, partnership, grace and wisdom
• Adaptable and leads through change well providing clarity for stakeholders
• Demonstrates enterprise wide, holistic business thinking skills
• Has a passion for the Restaurant business and Chick-fil-A Operators; eager and willing to work in Chick-fil-A Restaurants breading chicken, cooking waffle fries, etc.to gain perspective and appreciation for the business, the Operator’s role, and Customer expectations
• Leads projects effectively and professionally to ensure stakeholders and Operators are informed and supportive and Customer expectations are met
• Create annual business plans, including scope, human capital needs, and budget requirements for all projects
• Identify and implement cost savings and continuous improvement initiatives
• Exhibit strong people skills and the ability to accomplish work effectively with, alongside, and through others
• Understands the relationship between the Operator/Restaurant and the Chick-fil-A Support Center, vendors, and partners
• Demonstrates ability to mine for and leverage data to make sound business decisions and recommendations

Competence Development:

• Maintains professional and technical knowledge by attending educational workshops, reviewing professional publications, establishing personal networks, benchmarking state-of-the-art practices, and participating in professional societies
• Actively explore trends to stay abreast of the trends in the marketplace
• Exhibit strong knowledge and awareness of historical and competitive marketplace
• Displays a curious and continuous mindset seeking to improve self, others, and the work/processes

Required Qualifications (Knowledge, Skills, & Abilities)

• Proven success in influencing at multiple levels across an organization
• Exceptional interpersonal and communication skills: highly collaborative with ability to build solid working partnerships across functional groups
• Comfortable and confident presenting recommendations and answering questions to multiple levels of leadership – EC, Strategy Teams, Operators, Team Members, etc.
• Analytical depth and technical expertise in project management, processes, systems and equipment interface
• Demonstrated expertise in the product development process
• Exceptional relational skills to enable interaction with a variety of stakeholders
• Excellent planning, organizing and project management abilities
• Proficient in Microsoft Office Tools and Windows Operating Systems
• Strong desire to learn industry trends
• Sense of urgency
• Highly self-motivated, grit, and able to work both collaboratively as well as independently
• Demonstrates high-level, strategic and low, in-the-weeds altitudes

Preferred Qualifications (Knowledge, Skills, & Abilities)

• Previous Experience at Chick-fil-A, Inc. Sr. Project Leader on Category Leader Team
• Experience in leading work in product development, brand management, consumer packaged goods or related field
• Restaurant experience (corporate or restaurant level)

Required Years of Experience

6

Travel Requirements

35%

Required Level of Education

Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience

Preferred Level of Education

Master's Degree

Preferred Major/Concentration

Business Administration or related field of study

Relocation Assistance Provided

No